ZF and DHL Form Autonomous Vehicle Partnership

DHL will deploy a fleet of StreetScooter electric delivery vans equipped with ZF autonomous vehicle technology beginning next year. Photo: ZF

Automotive component supplier ZF and the Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL) have announced the companies will work together to deploy a test fleet of autonomous delivery trucks beginning next year.

A prototype delivery vehicle, equipped with six cameras, one radar system and lidar systems, was unveiled to coincide with the announcement.

According to details released by ZF, DHL, one of the world's largest mail delivery and logistics companies, will outfit a fleet of electric light trucks using ZF's ProAl autonomous driving technology for package transportation and delivery, including “last mile” applications. ProAI is based on NVIDIA Drive PX automated driving technology.

DPDHL currently operates a fleet of 3,400 StreetScooter electric delivery vehicles that can be equipped with ZF's autonomous driving sensors, which include cameras, lidar and radar. These sensors feed critical information on a vehicle's environment into the ProAI system, which then analyses the data to plan a safe path forward or even park itself.

ZF said the system allows parcel delivery companies like DHL to deliver goods with greater accuracy and safety at lower costs.

In preparation for next year's autonomous van deployment, DPHL has already configured its central data center with the NVDIA DGX-1 AI supercomputer, which will run deep-learning models on the trucks' NVIDIA Drive PX platform.

“Research and development of ecological, economical and efficient transportation will bring dramatic changes to the logistics industry,” said Jurgen Gerdes, member of the board of management of Deutsche Post AG. “Partnering with NVIDIA and ZF will enable us to responsibly support this development, benefit from it and to reinforce our position as the industry's innovation leader.”

“In its StreetScooter fleet, Deutsche Post DHL is taking its next step with our current and future generation of ...Read the rest of this story

WM Loading Ramps Stow Vertically Inside

National Fleet Products is offering a series of loading ramps that fold up vertically inside truck bodies and trailers, then swing out and down for use in pick-up and delivery operations. Called WM System Loading Ramps, the product is said to be a low-cost, maintenance-free alternative to hydraulic liftgates.

The ramps stow vertically just inside a van's rear- and side doors, and take up approximately 8.5 inches of depth when folded and locked. With a built-in spring assist and sturdy side handles, a ramp requires only about 20 pounds of force and five seconds to unfold or be folded back into its low-profile vertical storage position. From there it can be lowered for use, then raised again for storage.

“The ergonomic ease and simplicity of our WM System Loading Ramps is quite simply unparalleled within the commercial vehicle industry,” said Steven Peterson, president of National Fleet Products. “Compared to hydraulic liftgates, our WM System ramps require little training, are far faster, more reliable, and operate for years with virtually no maintenance, not to mention our equivalent load capacities.”

If a ramp is not needed for loading or unloading, a swivel-action mechanism enables it to swing 90 degrees in and out like a door, allowing unfettered access to the vehicle's interior. Vehicle-specific mounting plates are available for all major platform makes and models, and installation can take as little as two hours.

“By storing inside the vehicle until deployment, WM System Loading Ramps remain cleaner and drier than exterior-mounted hydraulic liftgates” and do not interfere with a vehicle's tow hitch, Peterson said. “The aluminum WM System ramps come in both ridged and shot-blast anti-slip surface textures that significantly improve traction on inclined surfaces, while reducing the risk of injury from a loss of footing.”

When required, a WM System ramp can also function as ...Read the rest of this story

Allison unveils xFE models for its 1000 Series and 2000 Series

Allison Transmission announced availability of its latest fuel economy technology for its 1000 Series and 2000 Series. Referred to as xFE, designating extra fuel economy, the fully automatic bus and truck transmissions have demonstrated improvements up to 7%, according to the company.

read more

PacLease: Truck rental market shows 20% growth

The heavy and medium-duty truck rental market is running on all cylinders with rental utilization in the PacLease system increasing markedly over the past four months. That's the word from Chachi Hernandez, PacLease's national director of rental operations.

“In Class 8 rentals, we've seen a 20 percent jump across the country, with the West Coast being the hottest market – with a 25 percent increase over the past four months,” Hernandez said.

read more

Ryder acquires Dallas Service Center

Ryder System announced it has completed the acquisition of all outstanding equity of Dallas Service Center Inc. (DSC), an independent truck repair facility located in Dallas, TX.

The acquisition, completed on Sept. 29, is expected to be nominally accretive to earnings in 2017. Ryder anticipates additional earnings in future years due to implementation of best practices leading to synergies, as well as improved productivity and safety as part of the Ryder network.

read more

Ryder Buys Dallas-Based Truck Repair Firm

Photo: Ryder System

Ryder System has completed the acquisition of all outstanding equity of Dallas Service Center, Inc., a truck repair facility located in Dallas, TX.

Ryder said it intends to operate the business under the name Ryder Dallas Service Center, maintaining its current service offering and areas of focus. It also intends to retain the existing workforce of approximately 50 employees.

“We are pleased with our acquisition of DSC,” said Ryder President of Global Fleet Management Solutions Dennis Cooke. “We will operate the business as a key part of our West Region, expanding the capacity of our existing maintenance network, while adding new services in the area of body repair work.”

The acquired operation is located at 5115 S. Cockrell Hill Rd. in Dallas and is adjacent to Ryder's existing Redbird truck rental and service location. The acquired location consists of a 5.87-acre property and 34,000 square feet of facilities, including 31 commercial vehicle maintenance bays, two paint booths, and two wash bays.

Ryder's Dallas Service Center facility is open for vehicle maintenance from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information about the new location and its services, call (214) 330-4661.

The acquisition, completed on September 29, 2017, is expected to be nominally accretive to earnings in 2017, according to Ryder, which “anticipates additional earnings in future years due to implementation of best practices leading to synergies, as well as improved productivity and safety as part of the Ryder network.”

Related: Ryder Offers Preventive Maintenance for Pre-Owned Vehicles

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

EGR systems can run cleaner with premium diesel

Is your diesel truck struggling with poor engine performance, sluggish acceleration or reduced fuel economy? You might have a problem with your exhaust gas recirculation system. That might seem like a complicated problem to fix – but it doesn't have to be.

read more